Assignment # 1: Tell everyone your name, what you teach, the grade level and 3 thinks you would like to share with the class.
My name is Melissa Huaco. I have been teaching first grade for 4 years.I really enjoy dancing and listening to music. I love spending time with my husband and my family. I like learning new things and apply them in my class. I am looking forward to applying some of the strategies learned in this course.
I would like to share with you that I have implemented a whole different way of working language arts in my class. I worked a lot on a new schedule in order to maximize the amount of times I could meet with my students in their guided reading groups. This type of class management and organization has allowed students the opportunity to work independently, groups and in centers. I have been very happy with the way it has been working. However, there are still things I need to keep improving, but overall it has been a very approach.
I would also like to tell you that I am trying my best to continue writing on my journal. I think the course we took on the reflective teacher provided us with many reasons of the importance of being in touch with ourselves and reflect on our teaching. I have been trying to write once a week.
Finally, I have to accept I am feeling very anxious about leaving my students for two months next semester. I really like my class and we have done and learned so much throughout this semester. I am a bit nervous of how things will be when I come back on the month of May. Although Ruthie will be taking over, and we have been working together to make this transition as smooth as possible, I am still nervous about this change.
Assignment # 2: Write one short reflection. (less than 250 words) Tell us (everyone can see your wiki page) one new thing that you learned about Multiple Intelligence / Learning Styles or differentiation.
One new thing I have learned is the importance to provide students with the opportunity to identify what is the best way they like to learn. I really liked the learning print tool. It allows students to identify what is the content area they like most, how they like to learn most and how they would like to show what they have learned. All this information goes into a name tag at the beginning of the year. Not only students know their strengths but it also allows the teacher to identify how their students learn best. This tool would allow teachers with the possibility to help students become self directed learners and achieve higher goals. I thought the idea of color and shape coding was fantastic! I would love to give it a try in my class next year!
Assignment # 3:Tell me on your wiki page the name of the cartoon on the Cartoon Assignment on Page 2 that you worked on.
I worked on the SOS line cartoon. The target audience are first graders. The reason why I chose this topic is because my students are struggling with this school agreement and I would like to reinforce this through this video.
Assignment # 4: 4. Cut and paste the Learning Matrix activity from page 3 on to your page and tell me which Special population you worked on.
.............................. Group Members
................................ Special Population
...................................... Brief description of Population
....................................................................................... Learning tips in content, process, Products or environment
Carolina Gayoso, Anais Buckley
Gifted and talented 1
They might show extraordinary strengths in innate understanding, natural compassion, humor, a command of language, mathematical reasoning, artistic ability, charismatic personality, mechanical ability or a combination of some of the above. They can show technical capability, perseverance, and maturity unmatched by any others in the class
Due to Now Child Left Behind most of the funds in public schools have gone to improve the performance of low average students; gifted and talented students are not being serviced.
Some parents ask in discussion pages if gifted or talented children should skip a grade, but there is a huge concern: How about their social skills?
Schools need to change the definition of smart
Do not teach content. Teach children
Focus on different intelligences Focus on other activities: music, art, creative movement, the culinary institute, physical education, and technology Teachers make sure they offers at least one activity utilizing each "smart," (body smart, picture smart, etc) and builds that into student awareness and vocabulary. Rotate activities relinquish some control and invest more trust in the students Motivation and engagement are 90 percent of the game.
Melissa, Randa, Melanie, Allison
ELL
Learning English, but are native speakers of a different language. Their level of English may vary, but typically, they are considered ELL if their comprehension and production of English interferes with their learning in the regular mainstream. If they need support in order to keep up, they are considered English Language Learners.
Difficulties communicating with families due to language and cultural barriers.
Difficulties finding people that speak their native language in order to bridge the gap.
Overcrowded classroom Tight budgets Lack of teacher training Big controversy over best method: English language immersion or bilingual education. How much emphasis to give to native language. Big debate over additive approaches versus subtractive approaches. Lack of bilingual teachers Standardized tests are a big challenge.
Using technology to help students with their vocabulary and concepts:
1. Using LCD, alphasmarts, internet, digital cameras, scanners, and online videos and images.
2. Tools and techniques: Using goole image search as a new visual dictionary. Making it more of an exploratory activity.
3. Using internet search engines is going to equip them with the skills to evaluate the validity or usefulness of a website.
4. Using the LCD projector you can take games like boggle and make it a whole class activity. First shake the gridbox, take a digital picture of the results, and send it directly to the computer. (or you may use a docucam if you have one).
5. Editing student writing: Also using the overhead to project to the whole class.
-Music has positive effects on people´s emotions and creativity. When we sing together we synchronize out breathing and feel more connected.
Music is an effective medium for retaining information because it activates three different centers of the brain at the same time: language, hearing and mental motor control. Therefore it creates a heightened condition of awareness and mental acuity.
Words paired with music are far easier to retain.
The messages in the songs must be reinforced by complementary activities such as writing, speaking, acting, drawing, building, creating and movement (MI)
-All teachers learn about the students´ cultural and national background to connect with them.
Multilingual classrooms are using the following techniques:
- Extending school year
o After school programs that implement phonics-based learning programs.
o Use community resources.
- Due to the lack of money- schools are have gone to local community colleges and have students who volunteer as translators.
- For books- they are going to the local city library and community organizations for extra resources.
- Bilingual teachers are benefitting from government due to the amount of ELL students:
- Receiving bonuses and receiving better teacher training.
- The following approaches have been working:
-Phonic based success for all learning program: A strict and uniform lesson plan that requires 90 minutes of reading in school and 20 more at home.
-Work in small groups based on ability
-Cooperative learning.
-Provide individual after school assistance
-Have ongoing community effort
Alessia, Alexandra, Deborah and Veronica
(PLEASE DO NOT ERASE, THIRD TIME WE POST IT)
ADHD
Condition of the brain that makes it difficult for students to control their behavior. Affects an estimated of 4 to 12 percent of all school age children, about 3 times more boys than girls. Multitasking is a way of life for kids these days and this causes them to loose their ability to focus and have more ADHD problems. Misdiagnoses of ADHD can represent have a dozen of other problems.
The student will… -Tune out what doesn’t interest him. -Get lost going from one simple task to another. -His imaginations revs up without warning. -Doesn’t pay attention -Day dream -Have trouble with peers, problems with social cues. -Be Impulsive, they will react before thinking about the consequences for their actions.
- Try to shut down any kind possible distractions. - Make sure a written plan is near the student. - Concentrate your attention on a particular thing. - Be specific in your explanation, make sure the student knows exactly what they need to do. - Give immediate positive feedback, making sure the child knows what they did right. - Look for different alternatives before you use medication. (Relaxation strategies, etc)
Jeff Shirk
LD
A disorder in basic psychological processes involved in understanding or using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or use mathematical calculations. ...
These studetns often have average to above average intellegence; however, they are challenged in processing or speaking (learning) in specific areas- like writing, reading and math. They don't look different- their disabiltiy is hidden. they face low self esteem, academic problems, social problems, they often excel in one area. May take longer and more intensive stratgies (differentiation to learn) May cohorbit other problems with ADHD etc.
vary the length or quantity of the assignment.
extend or curtail the duration of the assignment.
change the language of the assignment.
scaffold the learning activity from hard to medium to easy.
compact the activity and teach only what they don't know.
Allow for Re-Do
check up on student
be sensitive of learning diff
positive encouragement
work with capable student
allow for MI & interests
Give extra time
Mariella, Fiorella, Joe, Rita V.
High Functioning Autistic, Aspergers
Students that focus on a single interest
If not treated on time the disease degenerates
Students maybe a handful at home and disruptive at school but have high intellectual abilities
Is usually represented as endless body rocking and arm flopping
Excessive sensory stimulation can be overwhelming for them
Concrete thinkers
Struggle with abstract thinking
Hard to deal with too much stimulus (noisy environments)
Use literal meanings
Avoid too much sensory stimulus
Keep a schedule routine
Written plan of classroom plans and responsibilities
Create a safe, happy and positive environment
Learn about child´s issues and interests.
Be kind but firm.
· Identify student´s individual needs in specific situations such as play areas. For instance which type of textures stimulate/irritate students · They must have a written behavior plan · Visual support
Include parents
Mariana, Rita, Carina
High Functioning Autistic or Aspergers
Autism is a complex collection of behaviors that generally surfaces around age two. Aspergers is a mild form autism. Children can have a wide range of abilities, and the diagnosis runs along a spectrum, reflecting the child's level of cognitive and language impairment.
Autism is usually characterized by physical repetitive movements such as rocking or flapping of the arms.These children have problems in social interaction, they usually engage in repetitive, obsessive routines. They focus on a single interest. Sensory stimulation often overwhelms these kids with fury or shutting down completely.
reinforce positive behaviors in a structured environment to encourage learning.
break skills into small measurable tasks
rewards are very helpful
do not reward in any way negative behaviors
teachers should keep a record of what is working and what is not
Floortime Foundation emphasizes social, emotional and intelectual capacities instead of focused skills and isolated behaviors.
Assignment # 5: Comment on possible advantages of having AlphaBet Syndrome. Why might nature have done this? Is there any genetic advantage to any of these special populations.
Considering that asperquer, autism and adhd are hereditary and connecting it to Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection, my question is; why is it that human evolution is naturally selecting these genes and passing them from generation to generation? What is happening to our society that is considering these genes desirable to the population?
People with asperguers lack social skills, but then again, technology is changing our social skills. With computers, texting, and emailing, people are losing oral communication. Maybe asperguer and autism is a way of society telling us that our social skills aren't as important as they were forty years ago. I think another of the reasons may be related to the amount of multi tasking. Research shows that people with asperguers have the ability to focus and become experts on what they find interesting, Whereas people who multi task are not able to do things properly enough. Maybe we are in need of focusing more and becoming experts in different areas that will help us survive in the future. In relation to the adhd, maybe this is a desirable trait due to the amount of multi tasking. People with adhd are able to multi task and do things quickly; just what society is asking for.
Assignment # 6 : Post a copy of your Think Tac Toe using a 3 X 3 table that is color coded. Black for Basic, Blue for mid range, Red for higher level thinking. Be sure to use Bloom’s Taxonomy to develop your TTT.
Tic-Tac-Toe Activity
Designed by: Melanie, Carina, Ruth, Melissa, Randa
Target audience: First Grade and Kindergarten
Responses to fiction
Make puppets of the main characters, and play with them.
BLACK
Retell the story to a friend.
BLUE
Fill in a story map of the story.
BLUE
Dramatize the events of the story.
BLUE
Make a mural of the setting of the story. Include in your mural at least 5 details and label them.
BLACK
Write a different ending to the story.
RED
Predict what will happen next? What do you think will happen next?
Write or draw a sequel to the story.
Your sequel can be 1 page or up to four pages long. RED
Draw your favorite part of the story and tell what is happening.
BLACK
Connect something you read in the story to something from your own life. Draw or write something that happened to you that is similar to the events or characters in the book.
RED
7. Read the Book MI in the Elementary Classroom. Pick two activities from the back of the chapters. Implement two of these ideas into your class. Write a report of 250 (+-) words describing your activity. Be sure to tell me. a. The age of the students and grade level b. The Subject you teach c. How you implemented the activity d. How the children responded e. Will you do this again? f. What will you do differently.
Grade level: First grade Age: 6-7 year old students Number of students: 19 (17 ESL and 2 English speakers) Subjects taught: Writing, reading, math and units of inquiry (curriculum based)
Activity # 1: "Monster Mash" I decided to implement the "Monster Mash" activity for two main reasons. First because my target audience were mainly students who use English as their second language and secondly because there are a total of 13 very kinesthetic and active boys and 6 girls in my class. Considering, As first grade students, many of them write very simple and short sentences and I wanted them to be able to write with more descriptive words. As a warm up activity, I modified it and integrated it with the unit of inquiry we were working on. For the summative assessment students chose a game or toy and had to explain how it had changed through time, how the game connected them with others and why they thought it had changed. I took this opportunity after the assessment and asked student to tell me words that would describe their toys or games. We came up with a very long list of words. I explained that all those words were called “descriptive words”. Considering Bloom's taxonomy, this time I want students to be able to acquire new knowledge by learning new descriptive words. However, I would try have the top students take the writing to a different level and maybe explain and describe a bit more. Right after lunch, students had a forty minutes block with me again. I knew they were very active and hyper so I used this time to introduce the “Monster Mash” activity. First, we went over some of the essential agreements for playing games. Then, I told them we were going to keep learning some more descriptive words but this time we were all going to be moving around and pretending to be monsters. I put the song on and had all students moving around the class pretending to be monsters. I turned the music off and had them stand in a circle and asked for several volunteers to be the lead monster. Afterwards I chose a student who is very hyper and low in reading and writing to be the “target monster”. He was very excited and felt special. We all sat on the carpet and came up with words that described the “target monster”. I scaffold by asking prompting questions related to the monster. I wrote down all the words on the board. The next day in the morning I put the song back on, had students be monsters again, went over the describing words and then explained that this time we were going to write about “ Thomas the monster”. This was such a big news that we were going to pretend we were writing a story for the newspaper. I modeled how to use the describing words while writing on the board. I gave each child a lined paper with a blank box where they could draw the monster after they were done. They worked for 30 minutes independently. Students were very engaged. They absolutely loved the song and dancing to it. They kept singing it days after. They worked quietly and turned in very nice writing pieces. They read their paper to each other, enjoyed drawing the monster and comparing how different all the monsters were. Even my lowest students were motivated writing about the monster. Then I posted their writing piece on the bulletin board and had a big title that said: Here are all the news about Thomas the Monster! I would definitely do this again. This is a great activity to introduce new words to ESL students, have them move and engage them with writing. I am already looking at other songs and see if I can do the same type of activity with other characters. I think I made a good choice changing the warm up activity and integrating it with the unit of inquiry. This made the activity more meaningful.
Activity # 2: " The Autobiography Cube
The second activity I implemented was a student reflection activity. I used the idea of the autobiography cube to have student self reflect on this semester. It’s almost the end of the semester before students have two months off their summer break. As their teacher, I am interested in knowing about my students’ interests, strengths and weaknesses. Renzulli's philosophy as to the importance of students learning based on their interests and strengths has become very important for me. I will definitely be using this for my future planning. I explained to students we were going to self reflect on this semester since they started First grade. I told the students we were going to be doing a cube. I had already done mine as an example. I showed my cube and explained what I had written, drawn and pasted. Then I told them they were going to do their own. First, I gave them a big construction paper already marked (to earn some time). Then I asked each student to write, draw or cut and paste or label the following information on the different sides of the cubes:
1. One thing you have learned this semester. 2. How do you like to learn? 3. What has been the most difficult thing? 4. What have you liked most about first grade? 5. What would you like to keep working on? 6. Draw a picture of yourself or things that you like to do.
I marked each side with the numbers so it would be easy for them to get organized. I provided a table with lots of different materials for drawing and writing as well as magazines in case they wanted to do a collage. For the rest of the 60 minutes students worked very quietly and engaged in their cube. They worked independently and asked for some help whenever they wanted to write a difficult word. Students felt free and moved around the classroom using the different materials and choosing how they were going to show their self-reflection. After they were done, my assistant and I pasted the cubes together and had them ready for the next day. The following day, students got the opportunity to share their cubes with one another and the teachers. I explained the importance of self-reflecting and why this information was very relevant for me as their teacher. I would do this activity again. I think it’s great for the beginning of the year as well. It would provide with a lot of information to get to know the students. However, I also think it’s very important they got to do it at the end of the semester. What I would like to do for the future is keep the cubes, and get them to do another one, with the same questions at the end of the academic year. Then I would provide the students with the cube done at the first semester, and reflect on the differences and have a follow up reflection based on both cubes.
Assignment # 1: Tell everyone your name, what you teach, the grade level and 3 thinks you would like to share with the class.My name is Melissa Huaco. I have been teaching first grade for 4 years.I really enjoy dancing and listening to music. I love spending time with my husband and my family. I like learning new things and apply them in my class. I am looking forward to applying some of the strategies learned in this course.
I would like to share with you that I have implemented a whole different way of working language arts in my class. I worked a lot on a new schedule in order to maximize the amount of times I could meet with my students in their guided reading groups. This type of class management and organization has allowed students the opportunity to work independently, groups and in centers. I have been very happy with the way it has been working. However, there are still things I need to keep improving, but overall it has been a very approach.
I would also like to tell you that I am trying my best to continue writing on my journal. I think the course we took on the reflective teacher provided us with many reasons of the importance of being in touch with ourselves and reflect on our teaching. I have been trying to write once a week.
Finally, I have to accept I am feeling very anxious about leaving my students for two months next semester. I really like my class and we have done and learned so much throughout this semester. I am a bit nervous of how things will be when I come back on the month of May. Although Ruthie will be taking over, and we have been working together to make this transition as smooth as possible, I am still nervous about this change.
Assignment # 2: Write one short reflection. (less than 250 words) Tell us (everyone can see your wiki page) one new thing that you learned about Multiple Intelligence / Learning Styles or differentiation.
One new thing I have learned is the importance to provide students with the opportunity to identify what is the best way they like to learn. I really liked the learning print tool. It allows students to identify what is the content area they like most, how they like to learn most and how they would like to show what they have learned. All this information goes into a name tag at the beginning of the year. Not only students know their strengths but it also allows the teacher to identify how their students learn best. This tool would allow teachers with the possibility to help students become self directed learners and achieve higher goals. I thought the idea of color and shape coding was fantastic! I would love to give it a try in my class next year!
Assignment # 3:Tell me on your wiki page the name of the cartoon on the Cartoon Assignment on Page 2 that you worked on.
I worked on the SOS line cartoon. The target audience are first graders. The reason why I chose this topic is because my students are struggling with this school agreement and I would like to reinforce this through this video.
Assignment # 4: 4. Cut and paste the Learning Matrix activity from page 3 on to your page and tell me which Special population you worked on.
Group Members
Special
Population
Brief description of Population
Learning Challenges
Learning tips in content, process, Products or environment
Some parents ask in discussion pages if gifted or talented children should skip a grade, but there is a huge concern: How about their social skills?
Schools need to change the definition of smart
Focus on different intelligences
Focus on other activities: music, art, creative movement, the culinary institute, physical education, and technology
Teachers make sure they offers at least one activity utilizing each "smart," (body smart, picture smart, etc) and builds that into student awareness and vocabulary.
Rotate activities
relinquish some control and invest more trust in the students
Motivation and engagement are 90 percent of the game.
Difficulties finding people that speak their native language in order to bridge the gap.
Overcrowded classroom
Tight budgets
Lack of teacher training
Big controversy over best method: English language immersion or bilingual education.
How much emphasis to give to native language. Big debate over additive approaches versus subtractive approaches.
Lack of bilingual teachers
Standardized tests are a big challenge.
1. Using LCD, alphasmarts, internet, digital cameras, scanners, and online videos and images.
2. Tools and techniques: Using goole image search as a new visual dictionary. Making it more of an exploratory activity.
3. Using internet search engines is going to equip them with the skills to evaluate the validity or usefulness of a website.
4. Using the LCD projector you can take games like boggle and make it a whole class activity. First shake the gridbox, take a digital picture of the results, and send it directly to the computer. (or you may use a docucam if you have one).
5. Editing student writing: Also using the overhead to project to the whole class.
-Music has positive effects on people´s emotions and creativity. When we sing together we synchronize out breathing and feel more connected.
Music is an effective medium for retaining information because it activates three different centers of the brain at the same time: language, hearing and mental motor control. Therefore it creates a heightened condition of awareness and mental acuity.
Words paired with music are far easier to retain.
The messages in the songs must be reinforced by complementary activities such as writing, speaking, acting, drawing, building, creating and movement (MI)
-All teachers learn about the students´ cultural and national background to connect with them.
Multilingual classrooms are using the following techniques:
- Extending school year
o After school programs that implement phonics-based learning programs.
o Use community resources.
- Due to the lack of money- schools are have gone to local community colleges and have students who volunteer as translators.
- For books- they are going to the local city library and community organizations for extra resources.
- Bilingual teachers are benefitting from government due to the amount of ELL students:
- Receiving bonuses and receiving better teacher training.
- The following approaches have been working:
-Phonic based success for all learning program: A strict and uniform lesson plan that requires 90 minutes of reading in school and 20 more at home.
-Work in small groups based on ability
-Cooperative learning.
-Provide individual after school assistance
-Have ongoing community effort
(PLEASE DO NOT ERASE, THIRD TIME WE POST IT)
Affects an estimated of 4 to 12 percent of all school age children, about 3 times more boys than girls.
Multitasking is a way of life for kids these days and this causes them to loose their ability to focus and have more ADHD problems.
Misdiagnoses of ADHD can represent have a dozen of other problems.
-Tune out what doesn’t interest him.
-Get lost going from one simple task to another.
-His imaginations revs up without warning.
-Doesn’t pay attention
-Day dream
-Have trouble with peers, problems with social cues.
-Be Impulsive, they will react before thinking about the consequences for their actions.
- Make sure a written plan is near the student.
- Concentrate your attention on a particular thing.
- Be specific in your explanation, make sure the student knows exactly what they need to do.
- Give immediate positive feedback, making sure the child knows what they did right.
- Look for different alternatives before you use medication. (Relaxation strategies, etc)
Aspergers
- Use literal meanings
- Avoid too much sensory stimulus
- Keep a schedule routine
- Written plan of classroom plans and responsibilities
- Create a safe, happy and positive environment
- Learn about child´s issues and interests.
- Be kind but firm.
· Identify student´s individual needs in specific situations such as play areas. For instance which type of textures stimulate/irritate students· They must have a written behavior plan
· Visual support
Assignment # 5: Comment on possible advantages of having AlphaBet Syndrome. Why might nature have done this? Is there any genetic advantage to any of these special populations.
Considering that asperquer, autism and adhd are hereditary and connecting it to Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection, my question is; why is it that human evolution is naturally selecting these genes and passing them from generation to generation? What is happening to our society that is considering these genes desirable to the population?
People with asperguers lack social skills, but then again, technology is changing our social skills. With computers, texting, and emailing, people are losing oral communication. Maybe asperguer and autism is a way of society telling us that our social skills aren't as important as they were forty years ago. I think another of the reasons may be related to the amount of multi tasking. Research shows that people with asperguers have the ability to focus and become experts on what they find interesting, Whereas people who multi task are not able to do things properly enough. Maybe we are in need of focusing more and becoming experts in different areas that will help us survive in the future.
In relation to the adhd, maybe this is a desirable trait due to the amount of multi tasking. People with adhd are able to multi task and do things quickly; just what society is asking for.
Assignment # 6 : Post a copy of your Think Tac Toe using a 3 X 3 table that is color coded. Black for Basic, Blue for mid range, Red for higher level thinking. Be sure to use Bloom’s Taxonomy to develop your TTT.
Tic-Tac-Toe Activity
Designed by: Melanie, Carina, Ruth, Melissa, Randa
Target audience: First Grade and Kindergarten
Responses to fiction
BLACK
BLUE
BLUE
BLUE
BLACK
RED
Write or draw a sequel to the story.
Your sequel can be 1 page or up to four pages long.
RED
BLACK
RED
7. Read the Book MI in the Elementary Classroom. Pick two activities from the back of the chapters. Implement two of these ideas into your class. Write a report of 250 (+-) words describing your activity. Be sure to tell me.
a. The age of the students and grade level
b. The Subject you teach
c. How you implemented the activity
d. How the children responded
e. Will you do this again?
f. What will you do differently.
Grade level: First grade
Age: 6-7 year old students
Number of students: 19 (17 ESL and 2 English speakers)
Subjects taught: Writing, reading, math and units of inquiry (curriculum based)
Activity # 1: "Monster Mash"
I decided to implement the "Monster Mash" activity for two main reasons. First because my target audience were mainly students who use English as their second language and secondly because there are a total of 13 very kinesthetic and active boys and 6 girls in my class. Considering, As first grade students, many of them write very simple and short sentences and I wanted them to be able to write with more descriptive words.
As a warm up activity, I modified it and integrated it with the unit of inquiry we were working on. For the summative assessment students chose a game or toy and had to explain how it had changed through time, how the game connected them with others and why they thought it had changed. I took this opportunity after the assessment and asked student to tell me words that would describe their toys or games. We came up with a very long list of words. I explained that all those words were called “descriptive words”. Considering Bloom's taxonomy, this time I want students to be able to acquire new knowledge by learning new descriptive words. However, I would try have the top students take the writing to a different level and maybe explain and describe a bit more.
Right after lunch, students had a forty minutes block with me again. I knew they were very active and hyper so I used this time to introduce the “Monster Mash” activity. First, we went over some of the essential agreements for playing games. Then, I told them we were going to keep learning some more descriptive words but this time we were all going to be moving around and pretending to be monsters. I put the song on and had all students moving around the class pretending to be monsters. I turned the music off and had them stand in a circle and asked for several volunteers to be the lead monster. Afterwards I chose a student who is very hyper and low in reading and writing to be the “target monster”. He was very excited and felt special. We all sat on the carpet and came up with words that described the “target monster”. I scaffold by asking prompting questions related to the monster. I wrote down all the words on the board.
The next day in the morning I put the song back on, had students be monsters again, went over the describing words and then explained that this time we were going to write about “ Thomas the monster”. This was such a big news that we were going to pretend we were writing a story for the newspaper. I modeled how to use the describing words while writing on the board. I gave each child a lined paper with a blank box where they could draw the monster after they were done. They worked for 30 minutes independently.
Students were very engaged. They absolutely loved the song and dancing to it. They kept singing it days after. They worked quietly and turned in very nice writing pieces. They read their paper to each other, enjoyed drawing the monster and comparing how different all the monsters were. Even my lowest students were motivated writing about the monster. Then I posted their writing piece on the bulletin board and had a big title that said: Here are all the news about Thomas the Monster!
I would definitely do this again. This is a great activity to introduce new words to ESL students, have them move and engage them with writing. I am already looking at other songs and see if I can do the same type of activity with other characters.
I think I made a good choice changing the warm up activity and integrating it with the unit of inquiry. This made the activity more meaningful.
Activity # 2: " The Autobiography Cube
The second activity I implemented was a student reflection activity. I used the idea of the autobiography cube to have student self reflect on this semester. It’s almost the end of the semester before students have two months off their summer break. As their teacher, I am interested in knowing about my students’ interests, strengths and weaknesses. Renzulli's philosophy as to the importance of students learning based on their interests and strengths has become very important for me. I will definitely be using this for my future planning. I explained to students we were going to self reflect on this semester since they started First grade. I told the students we were going to be doing a cube. I had already done mine as an example. I showed my cube and explained what I had written, drawn and pasted. Then I told them they were going to do their own.
First, I gave them a big construction paper already marked (to earn some time). Then I asked each student to write, draw or cut and paste or label the following information on the different sides of the cubes:
1. One thing you have learned this semester.
2. How do you like to learn?
3. What has been the most difficult thing?
4. What have you liked most about first grade?
5. What would you like to keep working on?
6. Draw a picture of yourself or things that you like to do.
I marked each side with the numbers so it would be easy for them to get organized. I provided a table with lots of different materials for drawing and writing as well as magazines in case they wanted to do a collage. For the rest of the 60 minutes students worked very quietly and engaged in their cube. They worked independently and asked for some help whenever they wanted to write a difficult word. Students felt free and moved around the classroom using the different materials and choosing how they were going to show their self-reflection. After they were done, my assistant and I pasted the cubes together and had them ready for the next day. The following day, students got the opportunity to share their cubes with one another and the teachers. I explained the importance of self-reflecting and why this information was very relevant for me as their teacher.
I would do this activity again. I think it’s great for the beginning of the year as well. It would provide with a lot of information to get to know the students. However, I also think it’s very important they got to do it at the end of the semester.
What I would like to do for the future is keep the cubes, and get them to do another one, with the same questions at the end of the academic year. Then I would provide the students with the cube done at the first semester, and reflect on the differences and have a follow up reflection based on both cubes.